Store and Notify

Pattern Description

When a new or updated piece of information (or document) is created, the Information Source sends the information (or document) into a Repository. The Repository then sends out notifications to inform other parties that new or updated information is available.

Consumers would then be able to store a “pointer” to the information, and add a flag to the appropriate patient record to indicate that the information is available. The Consumer may then retrieve the information (or document) electronically, either immediately or at some point in the future when it is required to display to a user. Where a Consumer cannot request the information (or document) from the repository for some reason, a click-through could be used to facilitate access to the information in the Repository.

In some cases the Information Source and Repository may be the same system. Subscriptions for notifications may be simple configuration in the Repository, but a more sophisticated subscription mechanism (e.g. allowing Consumer to directly subscribe to specific “topics”) would allow more flexible use and management of notifications.

Benefits

Allows for varying levels of maturity of consumers – at its most basic a consumer could simply add a flag to indicate information exists with contact details. Migration to click-through, and electronic retrieval can follow.

Concerns

In order to scale beyond a few systems, some form of subscription mechanism would need to be put in place.

Would only scale beyond a single health community if subscriptions were managed nationally.

Does not provide a mechanism to find information for those not already subscribed to notifications.